Casual Dining
We report on the business of casual dining, a key segment of the UK foodservice sector encompassing high-street restaurant brands, all-day dining concepts, and accessible, mid-market hospitality. This includes our coverage of openings, closures, financial results, menu innovation, tech integration, and leadership moves across the casual dining space. Whether you’re managing a national chain or operating a regional brand, we deliver timely insight into the pressures, pivots, and opportunities shaping this highly competitive market, with a focus on operational performance, consumer trends, and commercial sustainability.
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Aug- 2025 -27 AugustRestaurants
Denny’s eyes UK expansion through franchise deals
American diner chain Denny’s is eyeing “significant” expansion in the UK as it considers a master franchise for the country. The franchise holder for Denny’s in the UK has appointed business advisory firm FRP Corporate Finance to assess potential partners to acquire the franchise of the brand, which operates from…
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12 AugustRestaurants
Pasta Evangelists to open 100 restaurants across the UK
Pasta Evangelists has unveiled its plan to open 100 restaurants across the UK in the next five years. The company, together with its franchise partners, will invest over £30m in the new restaurants and said it is actively looking for sites and new partners across the South of England, Midlands…
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12 AugustRestaurants
L’Osteria acquires majority stake in Pizza Pilgrims
Italian restaurant brand L’Osteria has acquired a majority stake in UK-based pizza chain Pizza Pilgrims as part of a plan to expand its international portfolio, for an undisclosed sum. The Munich-headquartered group said that the deal, announced on 11 August, would help build an “Italian brand world” and support its…
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8 AugustFeatures
Could Gusto’s fall signal a casual dining scene in crisis?
Italian restaurant chain Gusto, once seen as a staple of mid-market dining in the UK, has become the latest brand to fall victim to the sector’s mounting structural and economic challenges. On 29 July, the 13-site operator entered administration before being swiftly acquired via a pre-pack deal by Cherry Equity…
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5 AugustBusiness
Hospitality sector has shrunk by 14.2% since March 2020, CGA finds
The hospitality sector is 14.2% smaller in August 2025 than it was in March 2020 before the first covid lockdown, according to data from CGA and Alix Partners. It comes as the sector has seen 62 net closures per month, or two a day since the beginning of the year.…
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4 AugustRestaurants
Tasty raises £9.25m to support its planned acquisition
Casual dining group Tasty has raised £9.25m before expenses through a share placing and subscription to support its planned acquisition. The news comes after the AIM-listed company placed 1.7 billion new shares and issued a further 150.6 million shares by subscription, each priced at 0.5p. The price represents a discount…
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Jul- 2025 -1 JulyRestaurants
Pizza Pilgrims FY revenues rise 20% to £34.4m
Pizza Pilgrims has reported a 20% rise in revenues to £34.4m for the financial year ending 30 June 2024, up from £28.7m the previous year. However, pre-tax profits fell to a loss of £0.1m, down from a profit of £0.7m in 2023, while EBITDA – excluding exceptional items – also…
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Jun- 2025 -24 JuneFood and Drink
SSP signs 14-year F&B contract with Leeds Bradford Airport
SSP Group has signed a 14-year contract to expand and refresh food and beverage outlets at Leeds Bradford Airport, as part of the airport’s £100m terminal redevelopment. The new agreement will see SSP operate a wider range of brands in the airport’s extended main terminal, including its first AMT Coffee…
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May- 2025 -16 MayRestaurants
Richard Caring in advanced talks to sell Ivy stake to Abu Dhabi royal
Richard Caring is reportedly in advanced talks to sell a substantial stake in his UK hospitality empire to an entity backed by the Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan, according to the Financial Times. People with knowledge of the matter told the FT that the discussions between Caring,…
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Apr- 2025 -16 AprilFeatures
Is it time to rethink restrictions around outdoor dining spaces?
During the pandemic when hospitality businesses were struggling as a result of social distancing restrictions, outdoor dining was a saviour to many. Lots of businesses were able to put tables and chairs on pavements and in roads allowing them to make money when people could not mix inside. However, as…
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